Pity my family and me. We live in California, which seldom votes our way. But last Tuesday it did for a switch, shooting down a slate full of lame measures. But pity us again, because we live in a town (Sacramento) that doesn't have an actual newspaper. Just the worthless Sacramento Bee, which I think receives its copy directly from DNC headquarters and prints it unedited. The Bee didn't like what voters did last Tuesday, and they exploded — then they flipped. Sister La Shawn has the goods, including a link to the editorial they hastily pulled.

Wow. This recessionis really hitting everybody. And, er, everything.

On a sad and serious note, reader Angie Birney points us to a particularly ugly effect of the recession: rise in abortions. One nearly despairs to read Hell's death-dealing "logic": "It sucks that it comes down to money... But if we can't even support ourselves, it wouldn't be good for a baby." So kill the baby — for its own good. You see, it's actually a loving thing. Not at all about amoral selfishness and materialism. Got it. (And as I always ask at this point: why not throw in the 2yo and the 12yo at the same time? Don't want them to have to do without their PlayStation, right?)

Now, look. I wrote that, as-is, no editing. Then I saw this. I warn you, it is nauseating and chilling. But here's something almost more chilling: our insane, Christless culture will hear the woman in the previous bullet with sympathetic nods, and our President will make sure that anyone can do the same as she for the same reason, or none at all. Yet it will regard the woman in this bullet-item as a monster. "I'll retire to Bedlam," I often say? I think I already have.

Homosexual "marriage" advocateshate the progression argument (i.e. if we call two men committing serial perversion "marriage," then there is no reason not to call anything and everything "marriage). As I've often said, the reason they hate it is that it is unanswerable. And now, it will surprise none of us to learn, we have yet more ready proof.

On the subject of "proof," here's more proof that Colin Powell is a... an... not a deep thinker. Speaking of two men who do have thought-out, principled, and definable ideologies (Limbaugh and Cheney), Powell said, "I may be out of their version of the Republican Party." Ah. Uh-huh. So... that would be the version that does vote for Republicans for President? That doesn't vote for hard-left socialist anti-child candidates because of their skin-color? That version? Well, then, cool.

Back to the other. I didn't make this up... I couldn't make this up. Pretty girl thinks she's a man trapped in a woman's body, attracted to women. Gets herself mutilated. Pretends she's a man. Then finds... she's a "gay" man. Attracted, IOW, to men. Which would have been normal for her... as a woman. Which she was. Sigh. Stay tuned for more adventures in What Happens When Society Won't Just Say "God Made You A Woman, Let's Deal With That."

Beloved son-in-law Kermit Allen points us to some serious Trekkie gear. (My dear wife is still thinking about the hanging Enterprise lamp.)

Mark Driscoll has written a really good, solid response to Newsweak's "End of Christian America" article. He distinguishes between Christian America and Christendom America, and argues that the drop of false professions will be both clarifying, and an opportunity for distinctly Christian, Gospel-centered ministry. In all that, I think he's right.

Oh my. I don't think I'd like this.

Science:coffee is "a good beverage choice." Yay. But before we move on, a serious thought. Remember when Science told us coffee was a bad beverage choice? Old enough to have observed the back and forth about wine, cigarettes, various foods and behaviors? Very fluid, Science, eh? Well, except about macro-evolution and a 230945-billion year old earth (or whatever the figure is today). That is certain and sure and will never change. Got that?

On a similar note: how long have there been Komodo dragons? Long time. How long have they been available to scientists for study? Long time. Have you ever heard that they kill by bacteria in their saliva? Yeppers, me too. Wrong! Now a Scientist tells us that that line is a "scientific fairy tale." Turns out they actually have venom that assists in the kill. Oh, BTW, the bigger surprise to me is the mention in passing that iguanas have venom. Huh? I've had iguanas, and I am pretty sure they've bitten me... and I don't think I died. Unless it takes like forty years to take full effect. (Hmm... wonder if it makes your hair fall out....)

Not whimsical nor funny: serious public safety reminder. I know a number of my readers are gun-users. A couple of holidays approach. Remember: guns are ALWAYS loaded. Tragedies do not only happen to ignorant drunks. Think how many brief mistakes and goofs you make every day. But those ones don't kill you or anyone. This one could. I love my readers and their families, and want you all to stick around.

Just...hunh. Well, "Hunh," and "I wonder what thought-process led to this."

Well, I'll be. Heteropaternal superfecundation. Who knew? Notice too, that the one was conceived the same time she conceived one with her "partner." Unless her husband and she are in business together, I take it that she wasn't married to Father #1, either. Leading me to wonder: when he got the news, did he heartbrokenly exclaim, "Oh my gosh, who could have expected her to have immoral sex with a guy while she was having immoral sex with a guy"?

Surreal News-story Sentence Alert: "The man was angry that [Chuck E.] Cheese had allegedly pinned his child against a video game machine while trying to escape a swarm of children who were hopped up on skee-ball and pizza." So he ripped off his mask and punched him.

Frank Turk is going to kick himself for not having thought of this. (h-t — if you can believe it — Challies.)

Heavy, Dripping Irony Alert: La Shawn observes, " As pro-infanticide Barack Obama talked around his support for abortion, you can hear a baby crying in the audience." (More about the avidly pro-abort "Christian" being honored by "Roman Catholics" while patronizing them with meaningless verbage here.)

Don't you wish Dick Cheney were twenty years younger and in better health?

"Wilson, 61, a consulting engineer for the health-care community, admits that initially he was less gung ho. 'I thought, how is this going to turn out? You can’t read an article in Readers Digest, ‘Twelve Ways to make a Triad Work.’"

Hmm. So the gay triad guy wasn't sure how to make a relationship work because Reader's Digest doesn't have an article about it.

I really feel bad for the guy. I mean, who knows where my marriage would be if it weren't for that fantastic piece of literature...

About Colin Powell-I've felt since the last elections that he really showed his true depth (can't make myself write "colors") when he endorsed Obama. He obviously chose race over substance. He has far more in common with John McCain than he ever would with Obama and his cronies.

As you might expect, the story of little Ty Toribio is really big news here in New Mexico.

It's been the subject of the local talk radio shows, but not without the liberal looney-tunes calling in to accuse the talk show hosts of being racist bigots for taking the position that there was something culpable in the actions of the perpetrator-mother.

Oh, I'm not surprised, Mesa Mike. They're not either one of them people to try to mess with.

Sola et al, Jack Kemp recently died. When he passed away, I said little or nothing. I was a HUGE admirer of his in the '80s, hoped he was the future of the GOP. When Dole picked him for VP candidate, I was ecstatic, thought it a master-stroke.

But one of my most depressed moments in politics was watching that highly-anticipated, INFURIATING little faculty tea-room chat Kemp had with Algore, when he was SUPPOSED to be DEBATING Gore. Chatting, when the future of the country was at stake, and that man represented a corrupt ideology and a corrupt administration.

Gone was Kemp's fire and steel and spine. It was all Barney the Dinosaur.

Fast-forward to Cheney/Lieberman.

Oh. My.

Cheney handed Liarman his head, his hat, some fava beans and a nice Chianti. It was a wonderful thing.

Yeah, he's got the goods. I know I don't agree with him on everything, but yeah - wish he could do a spine-infusion on younger GOP wannabe leadership.

Last night I was watching one of our (Canadian) national news broadcasts, and they talked about the pair of speeches given, one by The One, and the other by Cheney.

On Obama's: he spoke with "dignity as befit the office," and talked about the fearmongering that was synonymous with the Bush administration.On Cheney's: he "slashed and sniped back," defending an administration that many vilify and call indefensible.

I snorted derisively and left the room before I was tempted to say something I shouldn't.

I love the Star Trek gear. I remember the Star Trek Experience very fondly. I even have a picture of me and my family on the Enterprise bridge. I really want the Kirk chair! I threatened my wife with turning our home theater into one like the bridge of the Enterprise...they have a few different ones that were built by custom installers and DIYers.

I also have a solution for the California budget. Eliminate all welfare. I bet I could also find hundreds of other programs to eliminate in about half hour.

And God willing, I have no plans to buy a new car for a long, long time. I'll just save my money for the gas. My parents bought one of those little KIA vehicles. I wont let them take my daughter in that car. Those care have no business being on the road. They are unsafe at any speed above 25 mph (and US regulatory agencies used to agree before this green nonsense started).

I've always purchased American cars (I'm a fan of Jeep) but this will be my last American car.

With the new Cafe and Burn standards that the Obama adminstration is trying to push on us, this will make newer cars more unsafe. In order to get the new Cafe and Burn standards manufacturers will on average have to make cars that get about 30 or more miles per gallon. This means less steel (or now, fiberglass) and more plastic. Making cars less safe.

I mean, this is amazing. Our wonderful Governator and President have nothing better else to do. We have a sagging economy in CA and in the nation, but the Governator and Obama are giddy about regulating what we exhale (CO2).

1. ""It's the most complex duct system described in reptiles to date," he said."....ya mean from the reptiles often called "living dinosaurs"? Hmmmm. Dragons were the topic of discussion at my zoo volunteer meeting this week. Very cool, but how did so many esteemed scientists miss this?And Dan, iguana bites? That's nothing compared to what they attack with from the back end. Ever had that happen in the back of a mini-van with a 6-footer? I'd take the venom.

2. I think the triad will be OK. Isn't Rick Warren helping out with some RD articles now? Plenty there to help everyone's relationship!

In case you're interested, I linked and commented a bit on the polyamory article and the slippery slope argument.

But I took it a step further and applied it to a more specific, "I wonder if..." case. Namely, I wonder what will happen with the LDS church's stance on polygamy if polygamy becomes legalized. Or heck, even if gay marriage becomes more accepted, perhaps they'll do what homosexual lobby groups do now and push for it on the same precedents.

Anyway, I tracked the history of the LDS renouncement of polygamy at the end of the 19th century to show how I get there. If you're interested, it's here.

Andrew, I did read that when you put it up. Good points. What a strange history the LDS has had on that issue. Some of them have to be pinching themselves as they see heterosexual monogamy crumbling in America - not for the heterosexual part, but for making the word "divorce" (in effect) a Wiki article that anyone can rewrite.

I own a Ford F250...the one and only American vehicles I ever purchased. And it had problems right off the bat. My Hondas and Acuras that I've had through the years...no problems whatsoever. And Acura washes my MDX and provides a rental vehicle when I get it serviced. American dealers have zero idea how to run a service department.

Mark Levin, in his new book, Liberty and Tyranny, has a portion where he gives the statistics and safety ratings of these smaller cars. He thinks its all part of a plot to make American less mobile and therefore, more controllable. But when I talk to some of my liberal neighbors, I think they actually drink their own kool-aid.

If we're lucky, some innovative American will come up with an alternative fuel source. Maybe we can use Jack's magic beans.

BTW, how much will you guys in CA be paying per KWH for your electricity to fuel your new electric go-karts?

I drive mostly American cars at work (I get a new one every three or so years plus I drive other cars). They seem ok, but always a step behind. My current government car is a mercury milan. It doesn't have break away mirrors. Incredible, just incredible.

I've had a cold this week, and I am just now starting to catch up on things. Once again, DJP has failed to give an invite to his BBQ. Well, don't worry. I'll tell my friend in the Army to go unplug all the GPS's. ;-P

OK, that's a lousy lead-in to my point: If one GPS satellite fails, the whole system isn't brought down. Think about it: one piece of space dust could bring down the entire system that our defense system uses; as dumb as our government can be, our Army isn't dumb at all. They are more than likely using this to fund a better, new satellite in danger of failing. Right now, there are *32* GPS satellites. If there were a catastrophic failure of 10 satellites, reception may be hindered in some areas, but you'd be fine with a window-mounted antenna.

And you wouldn't feel so lonely if you invited us to your BBQ. Heck, without a GPS, some of your "fans" might even tell you exactly where you should go! ;-(